Pubdate: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Author: Liz Armitage HEROIN SHOOTING GALLERY FOR ACT The ACT is set to trial a safe-injecting room for heroin users in Civic after Labor Leader Jon Stanhope gave the project the green light last night. But Mr Stanhope said he wanted to ensure that proper safeguards were in place before the room opened. "[Health Minister] Michael Moore seems to want to engage in a race with [NSW Premier] Bob Carr. I have no desire to engage in a race," Mr Stanhope said. Labor's support was conditional upon the facility being run on a two-year trial basis with six-monthly reviews. And the trial would have to be supervised by a committee with broad representation across the ACT community. Mr Moore welcomed Labor's support and said he would move to have a safe-injecting room in Civic by the end of the year. " . . . the longer we delay the greater the spread of disease and the more lives are lost," Mr Moore said. "It's critical that it be in the Civic area because that's where our drug users gather. That's where we have most problems with overdosing in toilets." A safe-injecting room could be funded in the 1999-2000 Budget through a Treasurer's advance for special projects. It would cost less than $500,000 to run the facility each year. "I am absolutely delighted that Labor has finally seen a way clear to stop their delaying tactics and get on with the job," Mr Moore said. Mr Stanhope has drafted amendments to Mr Moore's proposed legislation on a safe-injecting room. He will send them to Assembly Members and community organisations today. "These are difficult and complex issues," Mr Stanhope said. "The community has a right to know how it's going to be done. And I think this legislative approach is a good one." He wanted to ensure that: The room was only open to people who admitted they were addicted to a drug of dependence. Addicts were offered counselling and other diversionary treatments. Workers were protected from criminal and civil liability. The Attorney-General and the Director of Public Prosecutions published a protocol so that drug users would not be prosecuted in the facility. The trial would be subject to rigorous evaluation in terms of its impact on crime rates, blood-borne infection, and emergency overdose calls. Mr Moore said Mr Stanhope's draft amendments were consistent with the information he had already provided to Labor. "I see the legislation as unnecessary because the Government can meet all Mr Stanhope's objectives by administrative action. But if it makes him happy to . . . put it into a legislative framework then I'm sure we can work our way through that as quickly as possible." - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart